


Twisted Minds [Psycho Pass AU]

by goodwineandcheese



Category: Monster, Psycho-Pass
Genre: 511 Kinderheim, Character Death, Crime Drama, Discussion of Various Types of Abuse, Multi, Sci-Fi, Suk Is Competent For Once, mild dehumanisation, tags will be added as I go
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-25
Updated: 2019-04-25
Packaged: 2019-11-04 23:38:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17907890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goodwineandcheese/pseuds/goodwineandcheese
Summary: After the death of Filip Zeman, Chief Inspector of the Public Safety Bureau's 1st Branch, Inspector Lunge is transferred to take charge - both of the 1st branch itself and the Enforcers assigned to the team. He quickly comes to realize that Grimmer, one of his senior Enforcers, holds a particular obsession with a yet unsolved case - an obsession that delves deep into his own past. As Lunge’s team is plunged into a complex investigation, that past comes to light - and it becomes apparent that Grimmer’s own agenda may conflict with his loyalty to the PSB. Lunge is forced to make a decision; remove the Enforcer and limit his already meager resources, or allow him to continue, and risk being dragged down a dangerous path.





	1. The PSB

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As this story is based in the Psycho Pass universe, it deals heavily with mature themes, particularly as this story handles a lot about Kinderheim. Child abuse (especially psychological and physical) will be discussed and may be depicted. Also murder but that goes without saying. I’ll put warnings around when things get nasty.
> 
> For the sake of explaining a little of how the world works (since it’s not easy to Info Dump it all) here’s the gist:
> 
> -MHWPSB: Ministry of Health and Welfare’s Public Safety Bureau. In short: the police.
> 
> -Dominator: A fancy gun that can only be operated by its "registered user" and will only unlock if the target has a high Crime Coefficient. Has 3 settings tht are basically Stun, Kill, and Super Mega Kill
> 
> -Everyone has a Crime Coefficient; this judges how likely they are to commit a crime based on stress levels, behaviour, etc...basically some fancy system called Sibyl decides how likely you are to cut a bitch irl. And there's scanners pretty much everywhere so the PSB will always know what your status is. Theoretically.
> 
> -Individuals who have a high Crime Coefficient (depicted by a cloudy hue) are labelled as “Latent Criminals” and are brought in by the PSB for therapy to help them lower their crime coefficient. Again, theoretically.
> 
> -Enforcer: A Latent Criminal that the PSB has decided to use to sniff out crooks - the best person to find a criminal is a (latent) criminal kinda mentality. They're treated kinda shitty most of the time
> 
> And that’s it! More or less.

The report was clear and plain; Chief Inspector Filip Zeman was killed in action by a man named Johan Liebert. The Detective and his assigned Enforcer had tracked the murderer to an elementary school, but once inside, the Enforcer chose to act against the orders of his handler.

According to the details of the report, he refused to use his issued Dominator to neutralize a teacher whose Crime Coefficient had become a cloudy yellow, choosing instead to protect her. Though perhaps noble in intent, his actions had resulted in time waste, and were in direct opposition of the Public Safety Bureau's mandate. 

If an individual’s Crime Coefficient became cloudy, they were to be taken in by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and given proper therapy to regain mental health and stability. If that individual resisted, then an Inspector or Enforcer was _required_ to employ the use of Dominators to immobilize the individual in question. The weapon was specifically designed to read Crime Coefficients and respond to the reading - individuals who were deemed unstable and potentially threatening by the System unlocked the gun’s safety, ensuring that the weapon could never be fired on innocents. Even the power of the blast was calculated to reflect the threat level of the individual. It reduced the rate of accidental fire - lethal or otherwise - to zero.

Or, so it was to be believed. The very notion of Crime Coefficients - a purely objective measurement of an individual’s capacity to commit crime - was hard to believe, but to Lunge's knowledge, the Sybil System had yet to fail.

As the report continued, the inspector chose - perhaps in error - to neutralize the Enforcer and teacher himself, and pursue Liebert on his own. When faced with an insubordinate Enforcer, his or her handler was permitted to turn their Dominator on them; it was a practice many detectives seemed to employ as a last resort, as incapacitating an ally in the middle of a high stakes situation simply wasn't viable. Detective Zeman took that risk; his efforts, however, led to unfortunately fatal results. The Ministry of Health and Welfare retrieved and detained the Enforcer before any further insubordination could be incurred or an attempt at escape made, and administered a suitable punishment. The Chief Detective, however, was lost during transit.

Heinrich looked at his now-emptied office, bare except for a few boxes of items that would be moving with him for the transfer. Until now, he had been in charge of the Public Safety Bureau’s second branch, but the death of Zeman - and a lack of any other Inspector with suitable experience and qualifications to replace him - required that Lunge take an impromptu promotion. 

Ordinarily there was more time for a transfer, allowing the Inspector to integrate to the new environment, but both teams were short-staffed as it was; for now, he left his boxed office - all that could be found within were personal effects, and therefore non-essential - and made his way to what would become his new workplace.

The Ministry’s first Branch was hardly any different from the second; the office was on the second floor, but everything remained identical - blue-gray walls, dark blue carpeted floor. The bright white lights were made to mimic real sunlight, though Heinrich had never thought much of how true that was. He walked down the hall from the stairs until he saw a plaque. Engraved were the two departments housed on the second floor; the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s Research division, and the PSB’s First Branch. He followed the plaque to the appropriate door, placing his hand on the scanner to verify his identity. There was a quiet beep, a soft, feminine voice responding;

_**Verified. Welcome, Chief Inspector Heinrich Lunge.** _

As the door opened, Heinrich took in the sight before him. There were three individuals at work - a young blonde man stood over the shoulder of a shorter, more thickly built man who appeared to be in his forties, staring intently at his screen. Whatever he was watching was lost on Heinrich, as the sound was being played through some sort of shared listening device he’d never seen in the second division. Lastly there was a slender, Asian man wearing a lighter, white suit, typing away at his own computer quite by his lonesome. Lunge recognized the youngest among them - he was Junior Detective Jan Suk, the late Zeman’s prodigy. He was the youngest member of the PSB to make detective, and had shown himself to possess a sharp mind and considerable talent despite his age - though, as Zeman had put it, he remained to be youthfully naive. 

The young man looked up as soon as the newly-assigned detective stepped inside. He removed his listening device and stood tall, squaring his shoulders and walking towards Detective Lunge, both of the other two looking up and turning their attention on him with a nod.

“Chief Detective Heinrich Lunge. You came at a good time. We’re currently revisiting all of the data from the late Chief Zeman’s failed mission. I assume you read the official report?”

Heinrich gave a stiff nod in response. Suk took his cue.

“Good. Well, at the moment, we’re trying to glean anything we can from the situation. Unfortunately it looks like the school’s security cameras were wiped, up until a certain point...so we don’t have any way of knowing where Liebert might have gone unless Mr. Grimmer remembers anything from the encounter. There might be more we can learn at the school itself, but we've been advised that the region surrounding the school is currently at risk of a heightened stress level, and the appearance of the PSB would put both faculty and students at greater risk of getting a cloudy hue. So we're putting it off for now.”

Heinrich thought for a moment. He knew the name from the PSB’s Enforcer Registry, but little more than that; by the way Agent Suk spoke, it sounded as though “Grimmer” was the Enforcer present with Chief Detective Zeman at the time of his death. He made a note of the name; there would be no room for insubordination under Lunge. He planned to make that very clear to each of the Enforcers under his command. 

“I suppose I should introduce you. You should be familiar with their names from the Enforcer Registry-”

Heinrich fought a slight twitch of his eye. There was no need for the boy to treat him as if he were new to the PSB when he was taking on the position of his former supervisor.

“-but these are two of the three Enforcers currently under the command of Division one.” 

He gestured back towards the blonde one first, who had - by now - removed the listening device and had turned to face the two detectives. He stood, nodding his head in a somewhat reserved greeting. “Rudi Gillen. Outside of the usual duties of us hunting dogs I’m a Criminal Psychologist by trade. It’s come in handy now and then with difficult cases.”

There was a dryness to his tone, though his words were probably genuine. Heinrich could recall several reports of the past - detailing the dangers of Criminal Psychology. It was no longer a taught practice, delving into the minds of criminals - after all, it caused the student to begin thinking like the psychopaths of his study, and thus, more prone to the acts himself. Most likely this Gillen had been caught in such a wave prior to the erasure of schooled Criminal Psychology studies; his hue had deteriorated as a direct result of his chosen path. The bitterness was understandable.

The second Enforcer bowed - a full bow, stiff but polite. A cultural greeting to an individual seen as his superior, perhaps. Lunge wasn't familiar with the nuances of foreign culture. “Tenma Kenzo. I’m a doctor, if you can believe it.”

This one was surprising. Mild-mannered, polite...hardly the type he would imagine to have a clouded hue. Heinrich looked between the two, then to the detective once more. A criminal psychologist and a doctor...Division one was well-equipped. He memorized their faces, now able to recognize them apart from the simple list of names on the registry. They had an identity in his mind. Once more, he addressed the younger detective.

“And this Grimmer has been sentenced to solitary confinement.”

Suk nodded stiffly, though Heinrich did notice a slight shift of his gaze - downward, but only briefly. A moment of unease or sheepishness. Something to hide, or perhaps an aversion to Lunge's natural intimidation.

“Ye-that is...that's correct, sir. The director of the PSB issued a statement that he’s not to leave solitary for a month - two weeks on good behaviour.”

A month was understandable; after all, his insubordination had not been the direct cause of the Detective's death. It had clearly been the actions of Detective Zeman that lead to a fatal encounter with Liebert. All the same, a month was a long time - for the first branch to be stripped even a single Enforcer was troubling, particularly in the middle of such an investigation.

“And has a replacement Enforcer been sent for that duration?”

There was another uncomfortable silence. He needed no verbal answer. Heinrich's lips pulled in a slight scowl.

“Very well. I would like to speak with him. Please continue your work, and if anything changes, alert me immediately. Please contact the principal of the elementary school as well, and ask him to reconsider the restriction. We must not limit ourselves.”

There was silence again, though this time it was much shorter, as Enforcer Tenma cleared his throat and headed toward the doors, glancing back at the senior detective.

“If you want to talk to Grimmer, I'll show you the way. I was just about to head down to the infirmary to check on him, actually…”

Infirmary. That caught Heinrich by surprise. Ordinarily, an insubordinate Enforcer was neutralized and sent to solitary confinement, in the basement level. If he was in the infirmary, it meant that his attending Detective had probably misused his Dominator; the regulations made no official statement, but it was common sense not to shoot an Enforcer anywhere that would cause them severe injury. Even if a Dominator was set to non-lethal paralyzer, shooting a human in his vital points was unwise; recovery took longer, and enough volleys from the Dominator could cause severe damage.

He followed the Enforcer, his coat swaying slightly as he moved. They headed down the hall until Tenma stopped, pressing a few keys on a pad on the wall. The door opened with a slight hissing sound, leading them into a room that was a stark contrast from the rest of the floor; it looked quite like a medical facility, with heavy-duty technology - scanners, bulky computers and more that he couldn't name - situated around a smaller “office” space, and three hospital beds lined in a row, one of which was occupied.

“Grimmer, how are you feeling?”

The Enforcer’s tone changed almost immediately as he swept into the room, picking up a tablet that lay on the desk and walking over toward his patient. He spoke with a softer voice, one that was more suited to a doctor than an Enforcer. He took a look at a few of the screens, tapping something into his tablet. The man in question shifted, sitting up a little in his bed, only to stop when Tenma raised a hand, shaking his head. The man - this..."Grimmer" - shrugged, sighing as he lay back again, closing his eyes. 

“I could certainly be worse! I’m not dead, after all.”

His tone was humoured rather than bitter; Heinrich wasn’t sure if it was intended as a slight against the former Chief, or if he was simply appreciative of his own survival of that event. The Enforcer looked up, glancing away from his attending doctor and toward the detective, though his expression hardly changed. He merely quirked a brow and turned to better look upon the looming figure of the inspector.

“Chief Detective Lunge. That’s a bit surprising...to see me, is it?” He inclined his head, looking the detective over. “Just what can I do for you, detective?”

Heinrich stepped forward, hands clasped behind his back as he regarded the Enforcer with a stern look. He could feel Tenma looking at him in turn - protective of his patient, perhaps, but it was unnecessary. Heinrich had come only to talk.

“Nothing, under current circumstances. I assume you’re aware of the punishment that was issued.”

His response was a statement, not a question. Grimmer merely chuckled, closing his eyes again.

“That’s right. After I’ve recovered, I’ll be sent to solitary to reflect on my insubordination. I anticipate a lonely couple of weeks.”

He spoke very nonchalantly, as though he was unbothered by his predicament. A sign that he felt no remorse for his actions, or was he simply an unflappable individual? Heinrich knew little of the character of these Enforcers as individuals; that would have to be learned in time. Regardless, he stood tall, stepping a little closer to the recovering Enforcer, catching his gaze.

“I would like you to know that I won’t tolerate insubordination from my Enforcers. There will be no repetition of this error with former Chief Zeman. When you return to active duty, I expect you to obey when given an order.”

Grimmer tilted his head away, glancing up at the ceiling with a distant look in his gaze, and a smirk.

“Of course. Or else you'll shoot me, right?”

It was a nonchalant, easy response that, for a moment, took Heinrich by surprise. He had to imagine that the former Chief had a particularly strict way of operating with his Enforcers, if Grimmer made such an immediate assumption. Insubordination would not be tolerated, no - but he possessed no hair-trigger temper. He worked on operational efficiency. Even if the Enforcer were to act so drastically that such a measure was necessary, he doubted that Grimmer would find himself in the infirmary; Heinrich was an efficient shot, and knew where to avoid when firing a Dominator. Heinrich nodded, though the intensity of his gaze did not relent. He stepped forward, now very close, well aware of the doctor watching his every move.

“I would like to know your reason for acting contrary to your superior."

There was a silence then, heavy and tense. Heinrich could feel those eyes on him, calculating, trying to decide what it was the Detective was seeking. That slight smirk returned to Grimmer again - a face that Heinrich was beginning to recognize as a safeguard, or a defense mechanism.

"I believe the report says it all, doesn't it? I protected a latent criminal. Someone not so different from myself."

The response was guarded, and while possibly true, there was more to it. Even with a well-crafted facade, Heinrich could feel there was more that wasn't said. He shook his head.

"That's not what I'm asking. I want to know why you acted against your superior. Not why you chose the actions that you did."

Once more, there was silence. Grimmer took his time then, a minute or more as he worked through his thoughts. Heinrich allowed him the time.

"I believe that Chief Detective Zeman was acting in error. That the shift of the teacher's hue was temporary, and that any action against her was not necessary. I believe I was preventing additional collateral hue discoloration."

The language he chose was more thought out than Heinrich had expected, but it was a suitable response. Insubordination out of pettiness or aggression was intolerable; an act made by an Enforcer who believed in an alternative solution, however, was more understandable. That he acted against the Chief's orders during a dangerous mission was inexcusable, but his reasoning certainly painted a better image of the Enforcer. Heinrich nodded, seemingly satisfied, turning away.

"Cooperation is key to an effective and efficient team. I have high standards for all agents and enforcers under my command. Know that I will hold you to the same. Which reminds me..."

He trailed off, glancing over his shoulder with that same, neutral scowl. This time, though, there was a glint in the detective's eyes.

"There was one more reason I came down to speak with you. And now, I believe I'm more sure of it.”

Both Enforcers stopped, silence filling the room so that all he could hear was the vague humming of the machines on the other side of the room. Heinrich didn’t turn to face them, only slightly tilting his head backward as he stood tall.

“Due to the insufficient manpower of Division one, I will be exercising my judgement as the new Chief Detective, and intend to request your early return to duty. You will be carefully monitored, but as it stands, we need your skills.” 

He glanced back then, to gauge the response of the Enforcer. For the first time, he saw something beyond neutral calm; he looked moderately surprised at the announcement - as did Tenma, whose shock was emphatic, his emotions worn clearly on his sleeve.

“I suggest that you be prepared to return immediately to duty. Don’t mistake this decision as an act of trust or sympathy; you are simply a necessary asset to the team. And I believe that, despite this transgression, you will continue to serve it well.”

There was a pause, the Enforcer smirking once more.

"Asset..." He said it under his breath, trailing off and closing his eyes. "Duly noted, chief.”

Though nonchalant, he could tell that the Enforcer was studying him, attempting to gauge the reasons for his actions.

Simply put, Johan was a dangerous individual, and the First Division couldn't afford to be low on manpower. Currently, Grimmer was the closest to a lead that they had; using him was not only tactically sound, it was almost necessary. Heinrich started toward the door.

“Upon your release back into the force, I would like a full report of the events surrounding the late Chief’s final mission from your recollection, in as much detail as possible. That will be all.”

With that, Heinrich headed back toward the office, leaving both Enforcers in a state of apparent stupefaction.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BOOP well there we go....mostly just a setup prologue type thing for now. It's gonna start getting #heavy even in the next chapter so.....whee


	2. Director Heinemann

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so I apparently lied there's no traumatic stuff in this chapter, lol. The scene wound up going on a lot longer than I expected and figured it was cleaner to cut it here. But the next chapter probably will. Probably.

It wasn’t Heinrich’s first time visiting the Director of the Public Safety Bureau. Ms. Heinemann made a point to meet with each of the branch chiefs - to “get to know” the face of her staff a little better. She was a woman possessed of both grace and power, perfectly suited to her position. She accepted no backtalk and spoke with conviction - qualities that were sorely lacking in today’s society. Aggression in any form - even the subtle assertiveness of confidence - could raise stress levels, and so were discouraged. Only those with an iron will could maintain a clear hue and hold onto a sharper personality.

Her office was situated in the Ivory Tower, a government-owned building primarily operated by the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s upper echelons. In this place, Heinrich was a mere peon - the proverbial dirt under the feet of his higher ups. He took no insult to any derogatory glances; he would one day stand in their place, when he had reached a greater status than branch leader of the PSB. 

He was directed into a waiting room on the sixth floor, where he found others of a closer status to his own; section heads of other departments beneath the Ministry of Health and Welfare, including representatives from the Justice Bureau and the Human Resources division. There, he waited until his name was called - not by Ms. Heinemann herself, but by a younger woman with short blonde hair that barely reached her ears. Presumably a secretary, or a student intern. 

She delivered him to room 601, where the plaque by the door read Ms. Heinemann’s name and title in full. He pushed the door open, stepping inside and taking in the scene. Her office had changed since last he was here - the walls a new colour, plants to bring a spark of life to the place, and the odd trinkets to adorn her desk and walls. Ms. Heinemann herself sat comfortably across from him, wearing her customized, and frankly immodest, Chief’s uniform - an act that was brazen in its own right, but not questioned; she had respect and power enough to get away with such audacity.

“Detective Lunge.”

She spoke with a sultry lilt in her tone, though Heinrich took little notice, even as she sat forward, crossing one leg over the other slowly, lacing her fingers deviously. “It’s been a while.” 

“It has.”

His succinct, unperturbed response earned a look of mild disappointment for Ms. Heinemann, so accustomed to men turning to mush at her words. Her sultry smirk faded and she sat back again, looking him over.

“I would congratulate you on your promotion, but the circumstances are hardly appropriate.” Her gaze flicked to meet his, steely and measurably cold. “Though I imagine this is more than a social visit. I couldn't imagine that. Not from you.”

Heinrich nodded, pulling his phone from his breast pocket. He tapped at the screen, setting it down facing Director Heinemann, Grimmer’s file displayed for her viewing.

“Following the mission that resulted in Zeman’s death, this Enforcer was suspended from active duty per your direction. As the PSB has yet to provide us with a replacement, I would like you to revoke his suspension.”

She picked up the phone, scrolling through the Enforcer’s information. Yellow lettering at the bottom indicated the details surrounding his suspension, though she was already perfectly aware through the report that had been submitted. She handed the phone back, eyeing Heinrich carefully.

“You realize you could simply ask me to order a new Enforcer to be selected for your team.”

Though she said nothing of it, Heinrich knew she was questioning his motives; why he wished to reinstate the insubordinate Enforcer, when there were others that could be selected, if a push was given by the director herself. His expression remained stoic, his posture confident.

“Having survived an encounter with Division 1’s primary target gives Enforcer Grimmer useful insight that could prove significant to the team. And to be perfectly frank, Division 1 has no time to train a recruit. Not with the situation as it is.”

The two stared at one another, Heinrich seemingly unafraid to meet the woman’s eyes. Despite her domineering attitude, she seemed responsive to his answer, nodding slowly after a few moments. She reached into a desk drawer, pulling a notepad and a pen, scrawling something down in an elaborate script - yet another near-lost art in this age. She pushed it toward Heinrich with a faint smile.

“This is an order override. Take it to Enforcer Security. You could mail it in, but you’ll be waiting at least three business days, which I don’t think will satisfy you. Just stop by and hand it to them directly. That should clear everything.”

Heinrich frowned, looking between the Director and the note she had provided.

“That's not the due process.”

She flicked her hand dismissively, scoffing as though he had made some beginner’s mistake. Cold blue eyes met his own.

“If you want to follow 'due process', he won't be in service for at least a week. Besides my own, you’ll also need the signature of the Security chief, and a psychological assessment will have to be ordered on the Enforcer in question to verify that he’s fit for service. An override will bypass all of it. If you want him back in action sooner, you’ll take my offer.”

Heinrich nodded slowly, pocketing his phone and taking the override notice. He made to stand, but stopped when Ms. Heinemann put a hand up, signaling that he stay.

“While I have you here, there’s something I’d like to know.”

Her expression turned more severe, serious and unrelenting, as though she hoped to pick his brain with her eyes alone.

“In your opinion, was there anything out of the ordinary about the late Inspector Zeman’s death? Something that was perhaps omitted from the report.”

By the invitation made, it sounded to Heinrich as though there was something conclusive - something that _had_ been omitted. Heinrich had certainly felt that the situation seemed unusual; there was no prior report of insubordination from the Enforcer in question, and the vague details on the murder itself seemed uncharacteristic of an official report, particularly concerning the death of a respected chief detective. 

“Perhaps it would be best to skip the guessing and tell me outright.”

He spoke confidently, boldly refusing the Director’s games. She seemed mildly disappointed, but relented nonetheless. She reached into her pocket, pulling what looked like a small remote. With the push of a button, the wall-mounted monitor overhead came to life, with grainy footage displayed on the screen. Heinrich watched as the scene played out, and realized what it was he was looking at.

“This footage was captured from one of the school’s cameras. If you recall, the official report stated cameras were wiped clean and nothing could be recovered. There's a reason for that. Though there’s no sound, I’m sure you’ll be able to tell just what’s wrong with this picture, detective.”

He watched, able to make out the two shapes - former Chief Inspector Zeman was on the left, with the young man Johan Liebert on the right. While he couldn’t discern their facial expressions, he could tell by Zeman’s body language that something was wrong. He was pointing his Dominator at the criminal, but nothing seemed to be happening.

It should have read his Crime Coefficient by now and unlocked.

“A malfunction.”

He’d never known a Dominator to malfunction before. The very idea was alarming; without their Dominators, the PSB was effectively defenseless. Guns were prohibited in this age, used only in sporting hunts, and even then only under supervision and in sanctioned venues. 

“That’s where you’re wrong.”

Heinrich looked up, eyes narrowing. The screen clicked off as Ms. Heinemann looked him over, fingers lacing together.

“What I’m about to tell you is something that only very few people know. The former Chief Inspector of the First Branch of the PSB knew. Now that you're taking his place, I’m telling you. But you have to swear to me that what you hear in this room will not be spoken of outside of the PSB. Rest assured, I will know if you break your word. You won’t like what happens if you do.”

Heinrich gave no outward show that he might have been affected by her words, intimidating as they were made to seem. Truthfully he was curious; it sounded as though he was being made aware of a deep and dark secret held by the PSB, something known only to the upper management within the organization. He had his theories.

“Very well. You have my word.”

Heinrich had no reason to betray the Director. She gave him another severe look, before finally relenting.

“What you just witnessed is an individual who is deemed Criminally Asymptomatic.” Ms. Heinemann paused, glancing aside for a moment. “The cause is something I am not particularly well versed on. For greater depth and understanding of how and why such persons exist, I would advise that you discuss it with your Enforcers, in particular Rudi Gillen. He’s something of an expert on this phenomenon.”

Criminally Asymptomatic. By the various parts of each word, Heinrich could take a guess as to its meaning; asymptomatic was to display unusual, or opposing, symptoms to what was expected. To then be _criminally_ asymptomatic implied that this was an individual whose mind could not be accurately read by Sibyl due to these unexpected responses to stress. Heinrich inclined his head, looking down at Ms. Heinemann with intrigue.

“Johan Liebert’s psychological behaviours defy Sibyl’s judgement. He doesn’t respond to elevated stress and rage in the normal way, so he cannot be assessed by our system.”

Eva nodded, relaxing slightly, seemingly glad that he understood.

“It seems like a dangerous flaw. So tell me, Inspector; do you know why we keep this a secret?”

Now, that was easily answered.

“We have convinced society that we live in a world free of crime, where a perfect system judges our capacity for violence. If it were to be discovered that anomalous individuals like Johan existed, Germany would panic en masse.”

Eva’s lips curved up in an approving smile.

“Well done. You’re not the new Chief for nothing.” 

She leered at him, then turned away, back toward the door.

“I trust that you will be keeping our secret, then, Lunge?”

He nodded firmly, something she caught out of the corner of her eye. Eva’s eyes closed, and she tilted her head backward.

“Please take your leave. You have an Enforcer to reinstate.”

Heinrich stood slowly, nodding affirmatively before he made his way out the door. The information he had been left with was heavy and troubling; he hadn’t fully believed a perfect system could exist, and now he knew his own thoughts to be true. But, it wasn’t something he could share with the world. This was a secret to be kept to himself, and his team. All the same, he felt a strange giddiness; perhaps an excitement that, indeed, he was right all along.

* * *

As the director had suggested, showing the override slip to security was enough to have them approve the release of the Enforcer, albeit begrudgingly. Though, the situation itself was unusual; after all, Grimmer hadn’t yet been sent to solitary, recovering from his injuries in the infirmary. Instead, the security officer simply removed the order for solitary confinement, scanning the override document for record keeping. Altogether it was a swift and painless process, leaving Heinrich quite startled at the ordinarily slow process of working with the security division. He understood the nature of governmental bureaucracy and its paper barriers, but he hadn’t imagined the gravity of how terribly hindering it was until now.

He made a quick return to the office, noting that the rest of his belongings had been moved while he was away. Inspector Suk greeted him with a curt nod, adjusting his tie. He remained professional, but there seemed to be a degree of uncertainty about the younger inspector.

“Sir. The Principal of the elementary school has agreed to meet with us at a neutral location, so as not to disturb school activities or risk increased stress in the area.”

He paused, glancing away for a swift moment, almost sheepish before he returned to a level gaze.

"So you...talked with the Director.” Suk spoke hesitantly, but, to his credit, managed to keep eye contact with his superior. “Did it go well?”

He didn’t ask what all was discussed, to which Heinrich supplied no answer. He simply nodded, glancing toward the Enforcers present; that doctor Tenma was there, along with Gillen.

“It did. I spoke with the director, and Enforcer Grimmer will be returned to active duty for the 1st Branch at the earliest he’s able. He was granted an override on his solitary confinement order. However, make no mistake; I will be keeping a close eye on him in the coming weeks.”

All heads nodded, and Heinrich could sense an atmosphere somewhere between curiosity and relief. Heinrich glanced to Enforcer Tenma, catching his eye, though the Japanese man quickly looked down.

“What’s the current condition of the Enforcer?”

Tenma looked up, squaring his shoulders and clearing his throat.

“Not much has changed. He’s a little more responsive, but that's all. It’ll be at least two days before he’s on his feet again, and then he’ll need to undergo some rehabilitation to regain full mobility, but it's not as bad as I originally thought.”

“But you’d say that he’s up to full mental capacity.”

Tenma paused, looking him over. In the end, Heinrich antciipated recovery would be necessary; he understood that, though non-lethal, a shot from a Dominator could severely injure its victims if misused. But for now, all that mattered was that Grimmer could speak and recall the events of that day. The Japanese Enforcer nodded slowly, seemingly hesitant, though he gave an affirmative answer nonetheless.

Heinrich straightened, looking between the Enforcers and his immediate subordinate. 

“I would like to collect a statement from the Enforcer. Suk, in the meantime, you will take Enforcer Gillen with you and meet with the principal as planned. Tenma is to stay here for the time being in case his medical expertise is required or emergency backup is needed. Keep a channel open and notify me _immediately_ if something goes awry. Now get to it.”

The younger detective stood taller, squaring up with a hurried _yessir_. He was quick to respond to orders, and did as he was asked without question; Heinrich was glad at least that his subordinate wasn’t an incompetent. Without another look back, he headed back toward the infirmary. If Grimmer was in a suitable condition to talk, then talk he would. This case was a particularly interesting one, and he imagined that the Enforcer had valuable information to share. Even if his body was out of commission, his mind was not. And right now that was all that mattered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So far things are going pretty good! But Johan's involved so that's only gonna last so long.
> 
> Anyway if anything I write doesn't quite line up with Psycho Pass canon I _am_ taking a few liberties for narrative purposes...so bear with me lmao


End file.
